Dove Men+Care - #RealDadMoments

Aren’t dads useless? They can’t change a nappy; they don’t know how to use a washing machine; they can’t cook; they have no idea which end of the mop to use; and they certainly have no idea how to look after kids.

While mum does everything, the hapless, bumbling father sits in his favourite chair snoozing. Sometimes he wakes from his slumber after everything is done to half-heartedly ask if there is anything he can do to help.

It’s an image that very few families these days recognise, but in Adland it’s a different story. In Adland the needle seems to be stuck somewhere around the 1970s.

Dove hopes to change this portrayal of fatherhood in its new campaign, launched ahead of Father’s Day. It specifically targets dads who feel their child-rearing skills are not fairly represented in the media.

Citing a recent survey - which found that 61% said the media portrays them negatively - the ad aims to accurately depict the role modern men play in their children’s lives.

Far from the doofus dad or feckless father we are used to seeing in ads, #RealDadMoments shows the unsung heroes of the family offering the kind of emotional care normally associated with mums.

Potty training

They help with the potty training, they play with their kids on the lawn, they are a shoulder to cry on for tearful daughters.

The result? Well, it’s an ad that certainly packs an emotional punch, a crucial factor in driving shares online. No doubt there will be dads across the world hiding some red eyes after watching this.

And they won’t be the only ones reaching for the hankies. Just like P&G managed with its Thank You Mum campaign, this spot will also resonate with sons and daughters looking for the perfect gift for their dads this Sunday. It would be almost impossible for someone watching this to not start thinking about their fathers.

Like in its incredibly popular "Real Beauty Sketches" - the most shared ad of 2013 - the Unilever brand tries to highlight the differences between reality and perception.

Of course, it’s unlikely this ad will be able to match that mammoth success of that campaign. #RealDadMoments lacks the originality of the 2013 commercial.

But it will certainly make you sit up and listen - even if it’s just a helpful reminder to rush out and buy a card and present.